Crystal Versus the Chuck Me Mondays Challenge
by crystal.elements
Summary: Following the lead on verkisto's Chuck Me Mondays challenge. Chuck Versus the Sizzling Shrimp - Sarah's first encounter alone with the elder Bartowski. Everyone loves a little awkward tension...
1. Chuck Versus the Pilot

_I know, I know, I'm like two weeks behind on this challenge. I just haven't found the time to actually sit down and write until now. Anyways, here's my take on Verkisto's Chuck Me Mondays challenge. Hopefully I can catch up to Tango by this week!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck. We'd be getting our new episodes in September (or next month) if that were the case._

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**Crystal Versus the Chuck Me Mondays Challenge**

_Episode drabbles by crystalelements

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**Chuck Versus the Pilot**

The two agents stood side by side, the tension between them noticeable even on the fuzzy screen. She wouldn't blame them, of course; from the looks of it, Larkin was proving to be a pain in the ass even after getting himself shot.

The Director of the NSA glanced disdainfully at her CIA counterpart before focusing her attention to the agents on screen. "So you're telling me that the computer that held all of our secrets has been _downloaded_ into the brain of a…" her eyes narrowed in disbelief, "…_civilian?_"

The blonde CIA agent nodded curtly. "He opened the e-mail sent by Agent Larkin two nights ago. Apparently the two were roommates in college, but the civilian mentioned that they hadn't had any contact in years. We're not sure why he was the one to receive the e-mail."

Major Casey clasped his hands behind his back, a look of obvious annoyance written on his face. "Either way, the kid's proving to be a pain already. Won't cooperate with us unless his family and friends are left out of it. He won't go easily into the bunker."

Beckman raised a skeptical brow. "So what exactly do you propose we do, Major Casey? Let a human computer run around Burbank spouting government secrets wherever and whenever he chooses?"

"General, if I may cut in," The blonde said quickly, eyes flickering between her superior and Beckman, "I've been interacting with the civilian ever since he saw that e-mail. He seems to be a normal guy who most likely wants nothing more than to get his normal life back. I think that if we can promise him that, without causing any harm to his family and friends, he'll agree to our terms temporarily, at least until we have more of an idea of what we're dealing with."

Beckman stared at the CIA agent, who seemed to shrink back a bit at the hard look. "Agent Walker, am I correct?" Walker nodded once, expression unreadable. "I understand your perspective. However, we still have no idea what this man is capable of, nor do we have any idea of how the Intersect process works in that brain of his. We'll have to bring him in for testing, and if he has to be bunkered, then so be it."

Walker opened her mouth to protest, but Graham held up a hand before the words tumbled out. He turned to Beckman. "This is unlike anything we've ever dealt with before, Beckman. We can't make the same decisions as we would in any other situation. I suggest we ride this out, see what happens as time progresses." He picked up the report in front of him and handed it to the NSA Director. "Not only did Chuck Bartowski utilize the Intersect's information to find that bomb, he used his own…" He hesitated for a moment – "…_methods_…to defuse it. Maybe he'll be of more help to us than we think."

Beckman pursed her lips. After a long beat, the hard look returned, and she turned to the screen with a new air of certainty. "Major Casey, you've just been given a reassignment. Operation Chuck is officially in effect starting today. Watch over him, and make sure he doesn't do anything that will harm himself or that damn computer in his head."

Graham leaned towards the screen. "Sarah, you're on this assignment as well. I hope you're ready for a new partner, because Major Casey is who you'll be stuck with for as long as Operation Chuck lasts." The two agents bristled, apparently not happy with the arrangements, but nodded in affirmation. "Good luck."

Beckman fixed them both with a penetrating stare. "Use that information in Chuck's head, agents. Your covers will be set up before morning. We'll check in daily for updates, but for now, be ready for your next debriefing at 0900 sharp."

The last thing she saw before ending the conference feed was the looks on both Casey's and Walker's faces. The feelings behind those expressions were not lost on her, either. She spun to face Graham, composure cracking slightly. "I hope your agent's assumptions are correct, Graham," she hissed. "We can't afford to screw this up."

Graham made his way over to the window overlooking the bustling streets of DC. "There are risks no matter which way we turn. Right now, given the circumstances, this is our best option."

"Let's hope you're right," Beckman muttered, pressing the intercom button to her right. "I want video feeds set up in all the locations that Bartowski regularly visits, as well as any footage you can find from the past two days! Patch me into the Department of Internal Affairs, we need covers set up as soon as possible!" Her eyes flickered over to the Director of the CIA, who was barking out his own commands into the cellphone at his ear. Their gazes connected, and she was almost positive that, for once, they were thinking the exact same thing:

'_Damn you, Bryce Larkin, you rogue son of a bitch.'_

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_Ahaha. I love you, Bryce. xD_


	2. Chuck Versus the Helicopter

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_Thank you so much to all of you who took the time to read this challenge of mine, and especially to those of you who dropped a review! You all rock. :)_

_This episode, for some reason, was extremely difficult for me to find a good cut scene to elaborate on, hence the lateness. For that same reason, I'm sorry if something seems a little off about the chapter. I also told myself I'd try to get into other characters' heads besides our lovely male and female leads, but a certain emotionally unstable CIA agent made sure I got her thoughts typed out for this one. Not that I'm complaining too much, of course.

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**Crystal Versus the Chuck Me Mondays Challenge**

_Episode drabbles by crystalelements

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**Chuck Versus the Helicopter**

The city lights are a blur as the sleek, black Porsche hazardously weaves between the late-night traffic of downtown Los Angeles. Her knuckles turn white as she clenches the wheel tighter, the events of the entire day – hell, the past _week_ – replay in her mind like an onslaught of bad horror movies.

This is ridiculous. Three days and one measly mission into the assignment, and already she has to deal with an NSA agent with some stick up his ass and an asset with crappy trust issues. How the hell is she supposed to do her job when the two people she's working with are the first to turn against her?

_Double agent._ Sarah's blood boils at the mere implications behind it. She knows she's being rash – neither she nor Casey would have guessed Zarnow to be the real suspect, and it's true that she had immediately put the blame on her new partner as well. It's not as if she can help it; the agent in her is trained to hold suspicion in these types of situations, and especially in joint-agency operations like this one. Chuck hadn't done anything wrong in listening to Casey, and Casey himself was only acting on agent instincts; after all, hadn't she tried to do the same?

Still, the feeling of betrayal seeps even deeper into her gut, and Sarah thrashes against the wheel in frustration. For god's sake, she's a CIA agent, an _assassin_, the best of the best – she's supposed be able to keep her cool in _any_ situation, and that includes when a naïve civilian who knows nothing of intricate government affairs accomplishes his first mission, no matter how crazy or outrageous it may have been. Sarah Walker is _not_ one to lose her cool, and she certainly does _not_ let her emotions get the better of her.

The hot tears threatening to spill over her cheeks say otherwise. She angrily swipes the traitorous liquid away, and the engine groans in protest as she presses the gas pedal even further. Of course, it's not enough to get away from the real root of her problems, the reason behind this pathetic rollercoaster of emotion.

Then again, Bryce has always been notorious for leaving the worst of his messes behind.

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"How is…everything? I-I saw you at the funeral..."

Of course he'd seen her there. Sarah inwardly curses her treacherous emotions for the umpteenth time before quickly coming up with an excuse. "Oh, uh, yeah, I had to go. After everything Bryce did, he was still my partner."

A dark look crosses her features, and she makes her way to the counter before Chuck has a chance to see it. She's calmed down considerably since last night, but just the mention of her former partner's name is enough to flip her insides all over again.

Chuck starts a hasty apology, and she can't help but notice that the nerd has a penchant for rambling. The corners of her lips quirk into a small smile when he mentions the gourmet wieners; there's something about this guy that strikes her differently than anyone else she's ever met. (As if last night were any indication – she tries to keep the events of the previous day as far away from her thoughts as possible, though.)

She reminds herself that it's not his fault; he didn't ask for this. He's a normal guy whose life has been upturned by the government and its complexities, and for all it's worth, he's managing pretty damn well. She takes a deep breath before looking at him again. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Chuck gives a halfhearted shrug. "It was our first fight, y'know? It's…it's a big step if our relationship were remotely real."

The reminder that this assignment is far from over is not lost on her, and Sarah is sure to remind Chuck of that as well. She knows that's it's going to be hard, especially for someone like him, but for some strange reason Sarah feels confident that Chuck is entirely capable of handling it.

A chime cuts through their silence, and Sarah straightens in surprise as Ellie, Devon, and Morgan stride into the Weinerlicious with expectant smiles.

"Hi!" Ellie says brightly. "I hope we're not interrupting anything."

Chuck turns and offers her a sheepish grin. "By the way, I thought we'd give that dinner another shot, maybe…here."

Despite the fact that she's a top spy who's experienced countless life-threatening situations, she can't help but laugh at the fact that of all people (and of all places), it's Chuck who's once again thrown her off-guard. He throws her a look, and for the first time in a long while, a genuine smile creeps onto Sarah's face.

Chuck Bartowski is definitely a different one.

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_Okay, seriously, was anyone else dying to know what was going on in Sarah's mind during the first couple of episodes? I mean, I know we're always left guessing what she's thinking throughout the entire series, but by the end of the first season we already KNOW that Chuck plagues her mind more often than not. It's quite fun to delve into her thoughts before she starts to really fall for our favorite nerd. :D_


	3. Chuck Versus the Tango

_I'm late. I'm still behind. I know. I'm sorry. My brain sucks.  
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**Crystal Versus the Chuck Me Mondays Challenge**

_Episode drabbles by crystalelements_

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**Chuck Versus the Tango**

"He just left, he said he'd be there as soon as possible."

Devon glanced over his shoulder as his girlfriend heaved a sigh, phone tucked between her ear and shoulder. "I don't know, he'll probably pick up something for you…" A pause, followed by an irritated groan. "Morgan, just _call_ him, I'm sure he'll answer his phone this time!"

The little dude must have said something not so awesome, because a moment later Ellie's face scrunched up in typical Morgan-like disgust. She closed her eyes, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Just…just _hang up_, Morgan. Please."

Devon chuckled as Ellie hastily clicked the phone off and made her way into the kitchen. "Maybe we should just unplug the phone wire, babe. He's already called…what, 75 times? Wouldn't be surprised if he put in another ten."

Ellie grabbed a glass from the cabinet and yanked open the refrigerator. "Well, at least I can expect that kind of thing from him." She rummaged through the shelves for a few more seconds before letting out a frustrated cry. "Where is the freakin' orange juice?!"

"Second shelf on the right, way back." With a grunt, Devon stood up from the couch and walked to the counter. "El, I know you're upset. Chuck's finally found himself an awesome girl. He's growing up! Maybe he isn't comfortable sharing the intimate details with his older sis, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you." He gently pried the glass and juice carton out of her grip. "Cut him some slack – this is the Chuckster we're talking about here, remember?"

Ellie spun around to face him. "No, Devon, I _don't _remember. I know my little brother, and that wasn't him. The Chuck I know doesn't keep secrets." Her frown deepened, and she absently took the glass of orange juice from him, hazel eyes clouding over. "Maybe it's just me, but ever since he started going out with Sarah…"

Deciding not to finish the thought, she instead brought the glass to her lips and downed the orange juice in three large gulps.

_Uh oh. Not awesome._

"Babe, listen to me," Devon said slowly, wrapping a comforting arm around the brunette. "Chuck has a good thing going for him right now. He hasn't had a girlfriend in five years, and he probably doesn't know how to handle it right now. He'll come around, I promise."

Ellie slid the glass away and deflated against his chest. "I really hope so, Devon. I'm don't know why, but I'm so worried about him." He pulled her into the living room as she continued. "Sarah's an amazing girl, and I _know_ she likes him. I want the both of them to be happy. I just wish he would give me something, _anything_, instead of avoiding it like the plague!" She unceremoniously plopped down on the couch, head in her hands. "Really, is it too much to ask for something other than _'it's complicated'_? Or am I just being too overbearing?"

Sensing the impending trap, Devon took Ellie's hands in his and steered her into calmer waters. "Babe, don't worry about it. You know you're the most important person in Chuck's life, and he knows it, too. Just give him some time." He smiled, coaxing the brunette to her feet. Ellie complied, albeit reluctantly, the doubt still written all over her face.

Still holding her hand, Devon leaned over to press the play button on his iPod. The smooth sounds of the _orquesta típica _filled the room, and Devon's smile widened as he pulled his girlfriend close.

"But for now, _mi amor_…may I have this dance?"

A hesitant smile tugged at Ellie's lips, and her hand slipped gracefully into his –

Until the shrill ring of the phone ripped through the house, effectively shattering the moment.

Ellie visibly stiffened, death glare settling on the accursed object, and Devon let out a silent moan as she stomped over to the couch.

_Damn you, Morgan!_

The elder Bartowski didn't even bother to conceal her irritation as she answered the phone. "_What_, Morgan?"

"_Hey, Ellie,"_ the voice said, sounding uneasy, _"Sorry to bother you again, but Chuck's stuck in traffic, and I'm just…I'm just so bored out of my mind! I was thinking, maybe you could help me out by playing some music through the phone, or – oh, wait, you already have something on. Great! Uh...is that tango?"_

Ellie shoved the phone into Devon's hands. "I'm going to bed." She strode into the hallway and disappeared into the bedroom, leaving Devon to stare helplessly after her. Morgan chattered on obliviously, voice crackling through the phone.

"_I mean, I'm not saying that tango isn't great or anything, 'cause of course it is, but it's just not my style…but hey, I'm not complaining. But if you've got anything else on the ol' Bartowski playlist, y'know, one of Chuck's mixes, maybe –"_

Devon hung up without another word and promptly disconnected the telephone wire.

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_Leave it to Morgan to ruin Devon's perfectly crafted moment. Ah, poor little dude._

_Oh, right. For those of you who don't know (because I sure didn't before writing this), "orquesta típica" is the Spanish name for a sextet that plays tango music, usually composed of two violins, a piano, a doublebass, and two bandoneons. (Wikipedia, baby. Gotta love it.) And of course, "mi amor" is Spanish for "my love". :)_


	4. Chuck Versus the Wookie

_Yes, I'm still alive. Here's episode four!

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**Crystal Versus the Chuck Me Mondays Challenge**

_Episode drabbles by crystalelements

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**Chuck Versus the Wookie**

Everyone has a weakness. Figuring out John Casey's had been like a walk in the park. Or maybe in this case, a strip-down in Prague.

The moment the desk drawers fell from the NSA agent's hands, Carina knew she would fully enjoy the humiliation about to ensue. The sultry smile still tinting her lips, she glided forward and ran her hands down Casey's chest. He groaned in response.

"Like what you see, Johnny Boy?" She purred, pushing the black jacket off his shoulders and throwing the garment off to the side. Casey barely even registered the action, his eyes still glued to her form. Grasping his tie, Carina pulled him towards the bed. As soon as she felt the mattress behind her, she gave a swift yank, and Casey lurched towards her with a surprised grunt; she spun him around, shoving him to the bed with practiced skill.

Casey's breathing had become shallow. Eyes positively gleaming, the DEA agent draped her arms around his shoulders and lowered herself into his lap, lips tantalizingly close to his ear.

"Don't worry, no one has to know." Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she deliberately brushed her lips against the sensitive lobe as she spoke. "It'll be our. Little. Secret."

Nothing short of a bullet could have stopped the moan that escaped Casey's throat. Carina smirked triumphantly.

_This is too easy._

She fixed her intense gaze upon him again as her hands delicately roved over his chest, stopping only to loosen and remove his tie. Then, without warning, she grabbed the front of his shirt and ripped it open; buttons went flying in all directions, and Carina swore she heard an almost inaudible whimper from the so-called "tough-as-nails" agent. She nearly snorted. If only they could see Major Casey now...

This time, Casey was aware enough to strip the shirt himself. Carina discarded his shoes and socks fairly quickly before closing in on his belt, her seductive smile almost predatory at this point. Once his pants had been tossed aside, she placed both hands on his chest and pushed. His back hit the mattress with a soft thump. Carina fell on top of him with a flirtatious giggle, fingers ghosting down his arms.

"Sorry about the diamond, Casey, but I really don't have it. We can still have a little fun, though, can't we?"

Casey's mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she guided his hands to the straps on her shoulders. He shuddered as his fingers grazed the clasps, and his eyes fluttered shut in a moment of bliss –

That's all it took for Carina to make her move. Before he knew what was happening, she had his arms above his head and a pair of handcuffs shackled around his wrists, effectively trapping him to the bed's headboard. Casey's eyes flew open in shock to see Carina grinning in victory, and the realization hit him like a swift kick to the groin:

An almost exact repeat of the "incident" in Prague. Hook, line, and sinker.

_Oh, you've got to be fucking KIDDING me._

He was too busy being angry with himself to verbally lash out at smug DEA agent in front of him; another mistake, of course, because once again he was taken by surprise when she suddenly shoved a strip of cloth into his mouth and tied it behind his head. With a triumphant smirk, Carina let out a contented sigh and shook out her hair.

"Really, John, twice in a row? I thought you would've gotten over it by now, but I guess some things never change." Her smile became absolutely wicked. "Imagine what the government would think if they found out that Major Casey's _real _weakness wasn't actually a sexy DEA agent –" She plucked the black strap on her shoulder –

" –but the _bikini_ she was wearing."

And, right on cue, Casey's eyes helplessly dropped to the skimpy piece of swimwear before he could stop himself. His face immediately scrunched up in fury at his own pathetic slip, and Carina laughed.

"I said I'd keep my word, Johnny Boy," she said with a wink. "It'll always be our little secret, 'kay?

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a diamond to retrieve..."

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_Why the hell is it so hard for me to write out simple episode drabbles? I honestly don't know. On that note, though, another reason to why this is so late is because I'm in the early stages of planning a huge multichapter Chuck project that is effectively kicking my behind. It's all I think about nowadays. Hopefully I can start working out the kinks and kicking the story into gear relatively soon..._

_R&R makes the author happy, not to mention more motivated! :)_


	5. Chuck Versus the Sizzling Shrimp

___Have I caught up yet? No? Well, I'll get there someday. Episode five, anyone?_

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_**Crystal Versus the Chuck Me Mondays Challenge**_

_Episode drabbles by crystalelements

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**Chuck Versus the Sizzling Shrimp**

Sarah heaves a frustrated sigh as she slams the door of her Porsche and makes her way across the parking lot. As much as she loves her profession, working undercover at a fast food frying pit is _not_ how she had envisioned spending her days in L.A. Oh, no - instead of finishing up her report and getting some well-deserved rest and relaxation in her hotel room, she gets to waste her afternoon with yet another shift at the Weinerlicious. She spares a glace at her ridiculous uniform and sighs again.

_Oh, the joys of being a secret agent…_

Sarah's almost at the entrance when she stops short, immediately recognizing the brunette hesitating outside the door. She blinks in surprise.

"Ellie?"

The elder Bartowski spins around, and for a split second Sarah catches a flicker of emotion in her eyes. But then Ellie breaks out into a smile, and the look is gone.

"Sarah, hey! Thank god, for a moment I thought you might've taken off work today."

Sarah shifts awkwardly. "Um, no, I'm just running a bit late. Sorry, were you…waiting for me?"

"Oh, no," Ellie says quickly, shaking her head, "I just got here. It's completely fine."

Sarah offers a small smile before the two lapse into silence, unsure what to do next. To say that the moment is uncomfortable is an understatement; it's the first time Sarah has ever been alone with Chuck's sister, and for some odd reason it's a bit unnerving. She chews on her lip for a moment, racking her brain for something to say.

Ellie beats her to it. "So, um, I actually came here because I wanted to invite you to our apartment for dinner tonight. There's this annual Mother's Day thing that Chuck and I celebrate this time of year –" She notices the confused look that appears on Sarah face, and her eyes widen again. "Oh, Chuck didn't tell you?"

Sarah shakes her head, and Ellie smiles. "Well, he can tell you about it tonight…that is, if you can make it. I know it would really mean a lot to him." Her expression softens. "To us."

Sarah blinks in surprise at the kind gesture before slowly matching Ellie's smile with one of her own. "Um…yeah, sure! I'd be more than happy to come. Thank you…y'know, for the invitation."

"Of course," Ellie says warmly. "You _are_ Chuck's girlfriend, after all."

The pang of guilt hits her harder than she expects, but Sarah manages not to let her smile falter. Ellie, on the other hand, isn't as lucky – or maybe it's because Sarah's observational skills are a force to be reckoned with. Either way, she catches yet another flicker of emotion in the brunette's hazel eyes before it disappears again. Sarah pretends not to have noticed, instead motioning towards the door. "Okay…well, I should get going, Scooter tends to be a little anal when it comes to tardiness –"

Ellie jumps and hastily steps away from the door. "Oh! Right! I'm sorry about that, I should've known –"

"No, no, it's alright. Thanks again, Ellie…I'll see you tonight?"

"Yes, tonight. Is seven okay?"

"Seven sounds great."

Just before she steps through the doorway: "Wait."

Sarah stops and turns around, a questioning look in her eyes. "Hm?"

Ellie fidgets uncertainly. "Listen, about Chuck…" She bites her lip for a long moment before shaking her head. Fixing Sarah with an intense gaze, she says instead, "Thank you. For being with him, I mean. He's gone through a lot these past few years, and just…" She shakes her head again and clasps her hands in front of her. "Nevermind. I'll see you tonight, Sarah."

The guilt suddenly increases tenfold, and Sarah can only nod, the smile forcefully plastered on her face. With one last beam Ellie turns and leaves.

Pulling the door closed behind her, Sarah closes her eyes in confusion. It isn't supposed to happen this way. She's never had trouble dealing with the lies before now. There's something about the Bartowski clan that's turning her into –

_A human being, maybe? _The voice whispers dryly in her head. _Is it really so shocking?_

No, this is not how she had envisioned spending her days in L.A. at all.

"Walker!" A nasally voice barks, and Sarah's eyes fly open, a hand instinctively twitching for the knife hidden in her waistband. Scooter glares at her from the counter.

"Late _and_ daydreaming, it's a new record! I swear you surprise me more and more everyday. Now, can you please get to work on these corndogs? That _is _the reason I hired you, you know."

Now her hand _does_ inch towards her waistband. _No, can't kill the manager, wouldn't bode well with the cover._ Reluctantly, she drops her hand to her side as Scooter retreats into the back room, muttering under his breath the entire way.

With a huff, Sarah strides to the fryer and stares at it in disgust. She can do this. Only a few more hours until dinner at Chuck's –

"I don't hear oil bubbling, Walker!"

_On second thought, my knife throwing could use a little practice right about now…

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_The whole Ellie/Sarah dynamic has always intrigued me. Everyone loves a little awkward tension, right? Also, it took me ages to figure out Scooter's name. Damn Weinerlicious manager is a pain even outside of the show._

_By the way, if anyone was counting, there were 5 "oh"s, 7 "no"s, and 3 "um"s. Hooray for useless conversational filler words!_

_I just realized that I've written both the Sarah PoV chapters in present tense. I don't know why. Maybe it's because Sarah makes present-tense sound so much better._


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